Nationwide Film Event: “Desert Flower”

“The autobiographical drama Desert Flower is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Waris Dirie and Cathleen Miller. When at the age of thirteen, Waris Dirie (Liya Kebede) discovered that her father has decided to marry her off as the fourth wife to a considerably older man, the young girl realizes that she has no choice but to flee. After going into exile with the help of distant relatives and the Somali Embassy in London, Waris goes into hiding in the big city. One day, while working as a cleaning woman in a fast-food restaurant, she attracts the attention of famous fashion photographer Terry Donaldson (Timothy Spall). From that moment on, it’s as if a fairy tale has come true: Donaldson opens the doors of the fashion world to Waris, and she ultimately becomes a well-known international model. However, after years of success, she refuses to repeat her Cinderella story during an interview to Marie Claire magazine, choosing instead to tell of the day that changed her life forever: the day of her circumcision in the Somali desert at the tender age of five.”

“The Film addresses, among other powerful themes, the issues of female genital cutting/mutilation (FGM/C) and child marriage. Based on the life story of Waris Dirie, the successful Somalian supermodel and FGM/C activist, the film explores her journey from ‘the Somalian desert to the biggest catwalks of the world.’ It is rare that a commercial film explores issues of FGM/C.”